Eyewear

ABSTRACT

Improved eyeglasses are disclosed that have improvements in comfort, safety, wear ability, and convenience, based upon improvements in the contact (bearing) surfaces where the eyeglasses touch the body by providing air passages, hydrophobic surfaces and/or ratchet-tooth-like structures to promote motion from the bottom of the lenses in front toward the end of earpieces in the back of the head; to methods, articles, etc. for providing such improvements; and to methods for improving acceptance of such improved eyeglasses, especially improved methods of doing business.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to: improved eyewear, e.g., eyeglasses, which haveimprovements in comfort, safety, wear ability, and convenience, basedupon improvements in the contact (bearing) surfaces where the eyeglassestouch the body; to methods, articles, etc. for providing suchimprovements; and to methods for improving acceptance of such improvedeyeglasses, especially improved methods of doing business.

2. Description of Related Art

The art includes the use of pads on the nosepieces of eyeglasses toimprove comfort, one example being described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,104,Rice, issued Jan. 24, 1978. This patent describes spaced parallel tubingmounted on the pad, said tubing being compressed against the sides ofthe nose to provide a cushion when the eyeglasses are in use.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,716 to Combs, issued Oct. 23, 1990, states thatprior art discloses “Foam rubber nose pads, ribbed pads or pads formedwith a rough surface have been devised to hold a pair of eyeglasses inposition on a wearer's nose. Such nose pads are permanently formed as apart of the eyeglasses; are permanently mounted on the eyeglass nosepads, typically through the use of an adhesive; or are removablyattached to the eyeglass frames via screws or snap-in projections. Inaddition, such nose pads have been specifically formed for a particularsize and shape eyeglass frame.” The '716 patent discloses pads fornosepieces of eyeglasses with a Velcro™ connection where the pad surfaceis “Preferably, a fabric material, such as cotton, corduroy, etc.” Thepatent states: “FIG. 2 depicts one embodiment of the sheet 38 in whichthe sheet 38 is formed of a ribbed, corduroy material. This materialincludes a plurality of thin, spaced ribs 44 which extend along thelength of one side of the sheet 38. Such ribs 44 provide additionaladhesion of the sheet 38 to the nose of a wearer of the eyeglasses 14and prevent or minimize slippage of the eyeglasses 14 down the nose ofthe wearer.” In FIG. 2 the corduroy is mounted so that the ribs areroughly horizontal. Corduroy is traditionally made of cotton fibers.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,385 issued to Flores et al. May 25, 1999, disclosespads for both the nosepiece and earpieces of eyeglasses, said padshaving adhesive to attach the pads to the eyeglasses and adhesive toattach the pads to the skin.

Pads designed to keep eyeglasses in place in U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,594,issued to Hamano, Sep. 4, 2001 are attached to the nose and theeyeglasses by adhesive and magnetic means for keeping the two pads incontact.

Other attempts to keep eyewear in place are disclosed in: U.S. Pat. No.2,561,402 to Nelson, issued July 1951; U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,356 to Bates,issued August 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,163, to Breault, issued on Nov.8, 1988 (discloses non-adhesive means for attaching nose pads toeyeglasses); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,903 to Jannard et al. issued Oct.8, 1991.

There are several commercially available products, which are pads thathave glue on one side, covered by a “release sheet” that is removed sothe pads can be attached to the nosepieces of eyeglasses. These productsare typically advertised to provide improved resistance to slippageand/or comfort. Usually, the material is some kind of foam that providesonly limited compressibility.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention optimizes the contact/bearing surfaces ofeyeglasses where the eyeglasses contact the body (skin) by providingcontact surfaces that either: (a) have air passageways to allow more airto reach the skin and are more hydrophobic than skin so as to minimizeretention of moisture at the skin surface and provide improved skindryness; (b) have reduced resistance to slippage over skin in thedirection from the bottom of the eyeglass lenses to the ends of theearpieces as opposed to in the direction from the ends of the earpiecesto the bottom of the eyeglass lenses (less resistance to slippage in theupward and/or backward directions as compared to the downward and/orfrontward directions) to aid in keeping the eyeglasses in position; or,(c) preferably, both (a) and (b).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a pair of eyeglasses with nose padsattached.

FIG. 2 is a blown up view of the left nosepiece of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a blown up view of the right nosepiece of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a pair of eyeglasses with nose padsand ear pads attached.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a pad for an earpiece.

FIG. 6 is a blown up small cross section of the skin-facing surface of apad having a solid ratchet-tooth-like array interacting with skin.

FIG. 7 is a blown up section of the skin-facing surface of a pad showingan array of individual fibers that form a pile interacting with skin.

FIG. 8 is a cross section of an earpiece with a mounted pad taken alongthe line 8-8 in FIG. 4, showing a pad that does not go completely aroundthe earpiece.

FIG. 9 is a cross section of an earpiece with a mounted pad taken alongthe line 9-9 in FIG. 4, showing a pad that completely surrounds theearpiece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A. The Problems Solved by the Invention

Eyeglasses normally have lenses, a frame, nosepieces and earpieces. Theyhave to fit snugly in order to maintain them in the proper orientation.A comfortable “snug fit” is hard to achieve and maintain. A snug fitforces the eyeglasses against the skin, which can result in pain if theforce is too great and/or trapping of moisture next to the skin.Eyeglasses can become uncomfortable after long periods of wear and overtime the frames can become loose, resulting in poor fit. It is extremelydifficult to obtain and maintain a proper balance between comfort and afit that keeps the eyeglasses in the proper position. When the glassesare not fitted snugly, they slip forward toward the front (face) and/ordownward on the face due to movement of the head and/or the force ofgravity. The user then has to push the eyeglasses back into positionconstantly.

Where the eyeglasses make contact with skin, the skin can become soreand irritated, especially when the skin becomes wet from trappedmoisture. Skin irritation can even result in infection if the irritationis not eliminated and/or treated. The problem of skin irritation causedby eyeglasses is similar to the problem caused by a bandage thatprevents air from reaching the skin. Moisture released by the skin istrapped and the moist skin becomes irritated over time.

The pain and/or irritation resulting from tight-fitting eyeglasses cancause the wearer to remove the eyeglasses. Failure to wear eyeglassescan be extremely harmful, not only to the user who must live withoutcorrected sight and/or eye protection, but also to others if the personin need of eyeglasses is driving a car, operating dangerous equipment,etc. Everyone is affected when there is an accident involving injury.Insurance rates are affected by such accidents. Insurance companies havea very strong interest in preventing eye damage and having people useeyewear. Society has a strong interest in maintaining the effectivevision of everyone.

People who wear safety glasses or goggles, which are often heavier thanordinary glasses, and people who wear sunglasses are likely to removethem rather than suffer the pain. The resulting damage to the eyes fromflying objects, the sun's rays, etc., can be expensive and keep peoplefrom work and/or from enjoying their life.

Commercial pads that are sold for attachment to the nosepieces ofeyeglasses are helpful, but are not a completely satisfactory solution.Commercial pads appear to have essentially non-porous materials for skincontact surfaces so moisture is still trapped. The foams that areavailable in such pads appear to be closed cell foams that do not allowair to circulate freely to and from the skin surface. The pads helpresist slippage, but the glasses still slip. There are apparently nocommercial pads for the earpieces of eyeglasses.

Eye care professionals do not have a satisfactory solution forpreventing skin irritation. Also, when eyeglasses become loose due tobending or deformation during use, the normal solution is a trip to theeye care professional's office to have the eyeglasses adjusted. Eye careprofessionals have a strong interest in making sure their patients havegood fitting eyewear that is worn and in minimizing the need for officevisits to have the eyewear readjusted.

The present invention can help solve (1) the problem of skin irritationand/or (2) the problem of slippage.

B. The Solutions

1. The Solutions to the Problem of Skin Irritation

The solution to the problem of skin irritation is to create eyeglasseshaving skin contact surfaces, e.g., on nosepieces and/or earpieces,preferably on both, that allow air to contact the skin, and that arerelatively hydrophobic as compared to skin so as to minimize theretention of moisture at the skin surface. The surfaces of thenosepieces and/or earpieces can be formed from hydrophobic materials andwith sufficient air passageways to provide aeration of the skin and tominimize moisture retention or, but preferably, “pads” are attached tocreate such surfaces.

The prior art does not suggest that skin irritation due to eyeglassescan be minimized and/or eliminated by increasing airflow to the skin andreducing moisture retention on the skin. However, the use of any surfaceon the earpieces and nosepieces of eyeglasses that will allow forincreased aeration of the skin and that will minimize moisture retentionwill help minimize the potential for skin irritation.

(a) The “Hard Surface” Solution to Providing Aeration of the Skin

In order to provide air contact with the skin, there need to besufficiently large “valleys” on the contact surfaces that allow air topenetrate to all of the skin between the “peaks” so that the skin doesnot fill in or block the valleys. Also, the rough surface should behydrophobic to assist moisture in being transported away from the skin.Retained moisture will harbor bacteria, fungus, etc. and can even blockthe air passageways.

Hard rough hydrophobic surfaces for improved aeration of the skin andminimized moisture retention can be either formed on the contactsurfaces of eyeglasses or on “pads” that can be attached to the contactsurfaces.

(b) The Foam Solution to Providing Aeration for the Skin

Another contact surface that will permit air to reach the skin is anopen cell, hydrophobic, foam. The prior art does not suggest that foammaterials for eyeglass pads should be optmized to permit air to contactthe skin. Foams with a very open structure and which are morehydrophobic than skin promote removal of moisture and dry skin. However,although open cell foams allow more air to reach the surface than closedcell foams, they still can inhibit airflow.

Foams are clearly more comfortable than the rough surfaces. The natureof foams is such that they will normally have to be formed on “pads” andattached to the contact surfaces as opposed to being formed as part ofthe contact surfaces.

(c) The “Pile Surface” Solution to Providing Aeration of the Skin

The preferred surface for providing aeration, good fit and comfort isprovided by a “pile surface”, e.g., as provided by a hydrophobic “pilefabric”. Descriptions of pile fabrics and methods for making pilefabrics can be found in, e.g., Textiles, Fourth Edition, Hollen andSandler, Copyright 1973 by Macmillan Publishing Company, pp. 154-161;and Understanding Textiles, Tortora, printed by Macmillan PublishingCompany 1978, pp. 201-204 and 223, said references being incorporatedherein by reference.

The preferred contact/bearing surfaces in pile fabrics that touch theskin are created by the ends of a multitude of thread ends, the ends ofindividual fibers, or the ends of thread or fiber loops (the “pile”). Apile is formed by using multiple protrusions, like short fibers orthreads where one end of each fiber or thread is attached to a backing,or support surface structure, and the other end is left unattached.These unattached ends provide multiple contact points with the skin, andthe spaces between, e.g., the ends of the threads and/or loops allow airto move freely to contact the skin. These unattached, free ends form thesurface of the pile.

A hydrophobic pile aids moisture removal from the skin surface. As usedherein, “pile surface” and/or “pile fabric” are used to encompass bothconventional fabrics in which the basic support structure or “backing”for the pile can be either woven, non-woven, and/or knitted cloth andother pile surfaces where the support structure (surface) is astructurally equivalent, preferably planar, surface. Such equivalentsupport surfaces can be any surface such as rubber, plastic or metal,including even the surface of the eyeglasses.

Hydrophobic pile fabric unlike hydrophilic fabric, e.g., cotton fabric,allows surface moisture to wick away from the skin. Hydrophobicmaterials like polyolefins, e.g., polyethylene and/or polypropylene;polyesters such as Dacron™; polyamides such as nylons; etc. are suitablefor creating a hydrophobic pile structure. Although hydrophobic fibersare usually synthetic like polyester, nylon, etc., natural fibers can betreated to make the fibers more hydrophobic.

As discussed before, solid sheet materials like rubber or plastic, wovenfabrics, non-woven fabrics, etc., can all be used as the supportstructures (backing) for the pile. These solid sheet materials can beuseful as moisture barriers, e.g., when water-soluble glue is used toattach the pile structure to the glasses. The preferred fabrics alsohave a backing that is hydrophobic.

The typical fibers that can be used to form a pile are those that have adenier of from about 100 to about 1000. Higher denier fibers providemore resistance to crushing and lower denier fibers tend to provide asofter feel. Upholstery fabric is designed to resist crushing under theweight of human bodies and therefore will last longer under pressurebefore the pile fibers are flattened. The size of fibers for upholsteryfabric is usually in the range from about 200 to about 600 denier andthose fibers have been found to be satisfactory.

The pile members are selected so as to be sufficiently stiff and/ornumerous and/or long to resist movement, maintain air passageways, etc.The openings between these ends allow air to reach the skin and themultiple ends of, e.g., the fibers, dig into the skin to provideresistance to slippage in the forward and/or downward directions whilenot resisting slippage upwards and backwards. Stiffer fibers resistslippage better. When there are many such ends, the pressure of each endon the skin can be quite small.

Hydrophilic fabrics like cotton hold moisture next to the skin andinhibit evaporation/wicking. Also, pile fabrics made from hydrophilicmaterials such as cotton, e.g., corduroy, also tend to mat down when theskin is wet. However, as discussed before, hydrophilic materials likecorduroy can be modified, e.g., by treating them with more hydrophobicmaterials like Teflon to make them more hydrophobic in which case theyare more usable.

Although a pile surface can be formed by attaching short fibers onto thecontact surfaces of the eyeglasses, preferably, the pile surface isprovided on a pad that is attached to the contact surface of theeyeglasses.

2. The Solutions to Maintain Good Fit

The normal movements of the head usually result in forward and/ordownward movement of the eyeglasses. The head is often tilted downwardto view objects. Gravity acts to pull the eyeglasses down and there isno natural counter force. Prior attempts to keep eyeglasses in placetried to minimize the movement, but did not encourage counter movement.

The surfaces contacting the skin in conventional eyeglasses made frommetal and/or plastic, and in the prior art suggestions of “fixes”, haveequal resistance to movement in all directions. Therefore, the forceslike those provided by gravity, which acts downward on the eyeglasses,tend to move the eyeglasses downward/forward as the head moves back andforth requiring one to push the eyeglasses back into position.

Applicant has found that when the contact surfaces of the eyeglasseshave less resistance to movement over the skin in the direction startingfrom the bottom of the lenses in front of the head and going to the endsof the earpieces at the back of the head as opposed to the directionstarting at the end of the earpieces and going forward and downward tothe bottom of the lenses in the front, the eyeglasses stay in placebetter.

As used herein, “backward” and “upward” and “forward” and “downward” allhave their normal meanings in explaining the directions of bothmovements and orientation. However, the ends of the earpieces behind theears can be moving upward when the earpieces are moving forward. For thepurpose of keeping glasses in place there should be more resistance whenthe glasses move in the direction of the bottom front of the glasses(the lens) starting from the end of the earpieces and there should beimproved slippage in the direction of the ends of the earpieces startingfrom the bottom of the glasses (the lens).

The normal random movements of the head cancel out as the head alwaysreturns to a central position. Therefore, when the eyeglass surfaces incontact with the skin allow more movement to the back of the head thanto the front of the head and down for the same amount of movement, theeyeglasses tend to stay in position. This net tendency to favorbackward/upward movement appears to partially compensate for theinevitable slippage forward/downward of the eyeglasses. The eyeglassesthat have the preferred contact surfaces herein appear to providedesirable “repositioning”.

In any event, in use, the eyeglasses having the preferred skin contactsurfaces described herein stay in position much better than eyeglasseswith normal skin contact surfaces. Moreover, if the direction of thepreferred contact surface is reversed to favor downward/forwardmovement, the eyeglasses slip forward and downward much more readily.

The desired effect is similar qualitatively to the action of a ratchet,which permits movement in only one direction. The structures herein arelike ratchet teeth that have “ramps” that facilitate sliding in onedirection and “tooth points” that resist slippage in the oppositedirection by digging into the skin surface so that for the same amountof applied force (momentum) the movement is greater in thebackward/upward directions. Such structures are therefore referred toherein as “ratchet-tooth-like” structures or protrusions.

Improved backward/upward movement can also be provided by selectivelylowering the frictional resistance of the upward and/or backward sidesof the ratchet-tooth-like protrusions. Lower frictional resistance canbe achieved by, e.g., smoothing. E.g., one can add a coating likepolytetraflouroethylene, available commercially as Teflon™, which hasless frictional resistance, to the upward/backward surfaces. One canalso increase the frictional resistance of the downward and/or forwardsides of the protrusions by making them rougher, or by having theforward/downward tips of protrusions sharper and/or more slanted to thefront and/or bottom. A smoother and/or more hydrophobic surface providesless resistance and a rougher and/or more hydrophilic surface providesmore resistance. However, hydrophilic surfaces are not desirable sincethey keep moisture at the skin surface.

(a) The Hard Surface Solution for Maintaining Good Fit

An improvement can be provided to eyeglasses by creating rough hardcontact surfaces with surface protrusions that are ridges or bumps withsharp points and/or edges that point downward and/or forward to providea “ratchet” effect in which the resistance to movement is greater in theforward and/or downward directions. These ratchet-tooth-like protrusionspreferably have smooth sloping surfaces on their rear and/or upwardsides and less smooth and/or more abrupt surfaces on the front and/ordownward sides.

The hard ratchet-tooth-like surfaces can be formed on the contactsurfaces of the eyeglass frames (nosepieces, temple pieces, etc.) or canbe added using separate pads that are attached, e.g., glued, to theeyeglasses at the contact points. These hard surfaces which provide lessresistance to movement in the backward and/or upward directions, canalso provide improved skin safety if the valleys between theratchet-tooth-like protrusions are sufficiently large and continuous, asdisclosed hereinbefore, to allow air to contact the skin. The use of ahard surface requires the formation of many ridges and/or teeth tominimize the force exerted on the skin by any one sharp ridge or tip.

(2) The Foam Solution to Maintaining Good Fit

Foams that are soft conform to the skin surface and, especially on theears, will inhibit movement. In order to move the eyeglasses the foamhas to be deformed, which requires work. However, such resistance is inboth directions.

Foams, and preferably open celled foams as disclosed hereinbefore, canbe molded to create a ratchet-tooth-like surface with less resistance tomovement backwards and/or upwards as well as more resistance to movementforwards and/or downwards in order for the eyeglasses to have a tendencyto reposition.

As before, the foam will normally be used in the form of a pad.

(c) The Pile Surface Solution to Maintaining Good Fit

The pile surfaces suitable for maintaining good fit, preferably pilefabrics, have piles that are “oriented”, i.e., the ends of the fibers,threads, or the extended loops of fibers and/or threads that create thepile are pointed primarily in one direction at an angle from theperpendicular toward the front and toward the bottom of the lenses(forward and/or downward) to create the contact bearing surface. Pilefabrics with the pile slanting predominantly downward/forward at anangle allow the ends of the pile to interact with the skin to resistmovement downward and/or forward. Thus, the ends should not be pointedat what is essentially a right angle to the support structure or withequal numbers of ends oriented facing both downward/upward and/orforward/backward. The pile should not be slanting the wrong way, i.e.,upward and/or backward, since, as discussed before, this will increasethe tendency of the eyeglasses to move out of position.

When the ends of the pile's thread like members are slanted in onedirection from the perpendicular with the pile's fiber or thread or loopends facing forward and/or downward, the head movements upward orbackward allow the contact surfaces to advance smoothly backward and/orupward since the pile slides easily in that direction. However, when thehead moves forward and/or downward, the ends of the fibers/loops tend todig into the skin thus resisting the motion.

The ends of the fibers/loops are preferably at an angle that allows themto dig into the skin forward/downward yet allows movementbackward/upward. Even small angles, e.g., like about 10 degrees from theperpendicular appear to provide a benefit. Greater angles, e.g., of atleast about 30 degrees from the perpendicular, or more, appear toprovide more benefit. However, a pile that is perpendicular to itsbacking and therefore to the eyeglass surface has equal resistance inboth directions. When a pile becomes flattened, as occurs afterprolonged use, the resistance to movement forward/downward appears to bemuch less.

Pile fabrics with piles (thread ends) ranging in length from at leastabout 0.5 mm, preferably at least about 1 mm, more preferably at leastabout 2 mm, to less than about one cm, preferably less than about onecm, and more preferably less than about 7 mm, and desirably less thanabout 5 mm, are suitable. The cross sectional area of the threads canvary depending upon the length of the fibers, the number of fibers persquare centimeter, the resistance to deformation of the fibers, etc. Thebacking will normally be thin and/or flexible while maintaining fabricintegrity. Flexibility is important for earpiece pads, since the padsare bent when they are attached to the earpieces and any tendency tounroll and flatten will tend to pull the pads away from the earpieces.However, the pads can be bent to conform to the earpieces.

The pile ends need to be stiff or thick enough to resist bending. Theoptimum angle depends on the stiffness of the fibers, the number offibers, etc. It is necessary to have greater resistance in one directionto provide the ratchet action. In order to determine whether a pile issatisfactory, one can simply drag a finger in both directions over thepile, or lightly pinch a pile fabric between the thumb and a fingerwhile moving back and forth. One should be able to feel a distinctdifference between the resistances in the two directions. This test isvery similar to what actually occurs when the pile surface is mounted onthe eyeglasses' contact surfaces.

The preferred pile surfaces (fabrics), when oriented so that thedirection of least resistance is toward the top of the lenses in frontof the head and/or toward the back of the head help keep the eyeglassesin the proper position by providing the ratchet-tooth-like action.

Corduroy, which has been disclosed as a potential pad surface for a nosepad, has “wales” or ridges that run parallel to each other. Theorientation, or slant, of the fiber ends, with respect to the ridges, isessentially equal in both directions perpendicular to the ridges.Directional orientation of the pile in a corduroy fabric occurs onlyalong the ridges. Also, corduroy is hydrophilic and this holds moisturenext to the skin, which is not desirable.

Pile fabrics that are comfortable to the skin are preferred. Roughfabric materials can be softened by the application of fabric softenersto make them softer. Fabrics that are resistant to “crushing”(flattening) are also desirable, but some crushing can be desirablesince a pile fabric structure, especially one with longer fiberssticking out (more “loft”) when compressed slightly, conforms better tothe surfaces of the ears and/or nose and thus maximizes the surface incontact with the ears/nose which in turn minimizes the force per unit ofarea Also, when the pile conforms to the skin surfaces, the pile must berearranged in order for the eyeglasses to move, which requiresadditional force and thus further increases resistance to movement.

The important criteria for selecting a pile fabric for use herein arebased upon the ability to maintain: a degree of loft, i.e., distancebetween the skin and the pile's backing or support surface; a degree ofcomfort; and a degree of resistance to movement forward and/or downwardwhile minimizing the resistance to movement backward/upward. Asdiscussed before, the properties of crush resistance and comfort can befound in upholstery fabrics.

C. The Benefits of the Invention

The benefits provided by the skin contact surfaces herein are highlydesirable. Tight fitting glasses that have a soft pile fabric surface incontact with the skin are much more comfortable and are less likely tocause sore spots on the ears or nose. The air can freely contact theskin to keep the skin dry. Although discontinuous hard rough surfaceswill provide improved aeration of the skin, the preferred pile fabricsurfaces are usually more comfortable. Similarly, more compressible opencell foams also can provide cushioning.

When the skin contact surface also provides more resistance to slippagein the forward and/or downward directions than in the backward and/orupward directions, the need for pressure against the ears, head and nosein order to maintain the eyeglasses in position is greatly reduced.Surprisingly, even a relatively small surface area such as provided bynose pads covered with a pile fabric oriented in the preferred directionwith the ends facing downward, can provide sufficient net movement in anupward/backward direction to help keep the eyeglasses in place whileavoiding the problems caused by moisture being trapped between the noseand the nosepiece. However, increasing the size of the pads and/or theaddition of pads placed on the earpieces provides greatly improvedperformance in that the eyeglasses are kept in place better and the earpads also minimize damage to the skin of the ears caused by contactand/or moisture. Ear pads between the skin and earpiece should cover atleast part of both sides of the earpieces to minimize or eliminate skincontact between the earpiece and the skin.

The surface provided by a pile fabric is typically more comfortable thana rigid surface. Although short fibers can be attached to the eyeglassframe surfaces directly to form a pile surface, especially with thepreferred orientation forward and/or down, such a surface tends to beless desirable and requires excellent cleaning to avoid the buildup ofundesirable materials which become entrapped and which can providegrowth media for bacteria Fabric pile pads, on the other hand, can beremoved and replaced when they become dirty or damaged.

D. Pads

Pads are a very desirable way to provide the benefits of the invention.In general, the amount of material used on the contact surfaces islimited for appearance and cost reasons. The color is normally selectedto blend in with the color of the eyeglass frames, but the color can bebright or different for fashion reasons. Using pads allows one to changethe appearance of the pads, accentuate the appearance of the pads, etc.Some eyeglass wearers will prefer to change the pads in order tocoordinate the pads with other visual aspects such as clothing, haircolor, the appearance of one's pet, etc.

When pads that have directional slippage are used, they must be appliedin the proper orientation. Improper orientation will actually make theslippage worse. Accordingly, it is extremely preferred to have indiciaon the pads to inform the user of the correct orientation. The indiciacan be on the release cover, if there is a release cover. However, theindicia are desirably visible on the attachment, e.g., adhesive, layerso that they are visible when the pad is being applied. Provision of amarking for the centerline of ear pads is also desirable to facilitateproper positioning on the earpiece. If ear pads are cut to allow thepads to conform to the bend in the earpiece, and if the cuts are nearthe front edge of the pad, the cuts will tell the user which end shouldbe applied closest to the front of the eyeglasses.

E. Pad Attachment

The pads can be attached to the eyeglasses by any conventional means.One can use the conventional methods of attachment including: glues oradhesives; hook and eye attachments (Velcro™); magnetic attachmentmeans; etc. for any of the pads disclosed herein. The selection of theparticular method of attachment is based upon convenience, cost,avoidance of damage to the eyeglasses, and/or ability to keep the padsin place.

Adhesives used to attach pads to the eyeglasses are typically pressuresensitive adhesives. Desirably, the adhesive should maintain the pads inposition, but should be easily removed. The adhesive can be any typicalpressure sensitive adhesive of the type used on the surface ofcommercial pads like those sold under the trade name Meijer™ where thepads are foam and are attached to a card that has a release surface.

Other suitable means of attachment make use of double-sided adhesivetapes such as the one sold under the trade name Scotch™, which hasadhesive on both sides of a tape and which uses a release strip that iscontinuous in a spiral configuration. The Scotch permanent double-sidedtape (yellow and black plaid) is preferred, especially when attachingfabric to the eyeglasses. The Scotch tape is a very desirable solutionfor making a quick repair when a commercial pad is unavailable, since apile fabric can be attached to one side of the double-sided tape, cut,and then the completed pad added to the nose piece or earpiece eitherbefore or after being trimmed to fit. Ironing the tape to the fabric canaid in adhesion as well as improving fiber end orientation if the ironis moved only in the direction of the slant of the fiber ends. Oneshould be careful not to completely flatten the pile when ironing. Ithas also been found that NuSkin®, a product sold to cover cuts andabrasions on skin, can improve adhesion of Scotch tape to fabric when itis applied to the fabric before the tape is applied.

When fabric is used as the contact surface for pads that are attached tothe eyeglasses by glue, applicant has found that having fabric withoutsizing on the backing layer usually improves glue adhesion to thefabric. It is desirable to remove any sizing from fabric, e.g., bywashing, but fabric prepared without sizing is preferred. Ironing thetape to the fabric can aid in adhesion as well as improving fiber endorientation if the iron is moved only in the direction of the slant ofthe fiber ends. One should be careful not to completely flatten the pilewhen ironing.

Desirably, the glue that is selected will not be softened by moisture,but if it is, then a hydrophobic backing that does not absorb and holdmoisture is highly desirable since hydrophilic backings will hold waterfrom, e.g., sweat, so that the adhesive is softened faster. Skin oilalso will tend to soften glue. Therefore, desirably, there is a waterand/or skin oil barrier between the glue and the skin. The Scotch tapesappear to have an adhesive that is softened by water and/or skin oils.

Another adhesive that can be used for quick repairs is the type ofadhesive used to keep pictures in place on walls. Such adhesives aresold under the trade name Stick-E-Tak™ by Clemence. The adhesive can beattached to the back of a pile fabric by spreading the adhesive, thenthe fabric is attached to the nose piece or ear piece by the adhesive.These adhesives and the Scotch double-sided adhesive tapes have thebenefit of being easily removed from the eyeglass surface, but share thedrawback of not providing long-term stability. Nonetheless, forshort-term service and/or emergency repairs, they are more thanadequate.

Ideally, adhesives will be selected for the specific surfaces used.Companies that make and/or sell a variety of adhesives will normallyhave a number of adhesives that will be satisfactory. Since eyeglassesand/or pads can be made from many different materials, several adhesivesshould be tried to determine which ones are acceptable.

As discussed before, the pads can be attached with any conventionalmeans including glue/adhesive, Velcro™ (hook and loop combinationmeans), or by magnetic pair attraction. Each of these methods ofattachment has an advantage. However, glues and/or adhesives are highlydesirable for providing secure attachment without increased bulk orweight.

Since many attachment means are selected for easy removal of the pads,it is desirable to bevel the edges of the pads to minimize the forcecreated when the edges rub against skin, the hair, glasses cases, etc.

Less conventional attachment means can be used to form the pads. One canuse tubing, especially elastic tubing, with outer ratchet-tooth-likesurfaces, preferably pile surfaces for attaching pads to earpieces. Theratchet-tooth-like protrusions, especially pile members, can be eitherglued to the outside of the tubing, or formed to be integral with thetubing. Individual pile members can be “glued” to a backing supportsurface like elastic tubing using either adhesive, or by using somecombination of solvent and/or heat to convert either the support surfaceor support end of the pile threads to the equivalent of glue so that theindividual pile members are firmly attached to the backing.

Tubing that is elastic can be pulled over the ends of the earpieces andcan be kept in place by the elastic forces. Although glue can also beadded to the inside of the tubing to help maintain it in place, it ispossible to use the elastic forces of elastic tubing to provide inherentresistance to slippage and minimize the difficulty in removing thetubing. Glue on the inside of the tubing makes it more difficult to slipinto place around the earpiece.

For example, elastic, e.g., rubber, tubing with a pile fabric glued tothe outside of the tubing by, e.g., rubber cement, is useful. Thistubing is pulled over the end of the eyeglasses' earpieces using alubricant such as glycerin, etc. to facilitate slippage. The lubricantis preferably one that disappears or loses its lubricity quickly so asto maximize the resistance to slippage of the tubing when it is mountedon the earpiece.

Clips can also be used to attach pads to eyeglasses, especially toearpieces. The spring action of clips holds the pads in place. The clipscan be molded to fit the individual eyeglass part and then the pile canbe attached to the clip. For example, commercially available plastictubing like polyethylene tubing can be used to create a type of clip.This more rigid tubing with an interior opening that will fit around anearpiece can be sliced lengthwise along one side and “clipped” aroundthe earpieces. This more rigid tubing can then carry theratchet-tooth-like structures (pile fabric).

For example, tubing made from polyethylene, sliced along one side andcovered with a pile fabric mounted on the outside can be used. Theresulting pads are typically fairly thick when the most common tubing isused, but thinner walled tubing, especially tubing formed with alongitudinal bend to conform to the normal bend in eyepieces ofeyeglasses, can be very desirable since the pads can easily be attachedand removed.

Cylindrical pads can also be made using just pile fabric with the pileon the outside. Desirably, the fabric backing is elastic or has a roughor sticky interior surface to resist slippage. Pile fabric formed into atube with one end closed provides a “sock” for the end of the earpiece.The pile is on the outside of the sock and the interior preferablyprovides sufficient resistance to slippage to maintain the eyeglasses ina proper position. As with planar pads, it is desirable to provideslits, or two separate pads to better fit any bend in an earpiece. Theend of the fabric tubing does not need to be closed, especially when theinside of the tubing resists slippage so as to prevent the tubingslipping forward relative to the earpiece.

Earpiece pads that cover all of the contact area will typically need tohave a structure that will permit the pad to fit any bend that exists inthe earpiece around the ear. However, using the invention will make iteasier for even straight earpieces to be used while still maintainingthe eyeglasses in position. When there is a bend, simple cuts on eachside of the pad at the point corresponding to where the earpiece bendswill allow the pad to separate at the edges to fit the bend. In thealternative, provision of some elasticity will permit the pad to stretchon the outside of an earpieces' bend.

Another option for fitting pads around an earpiece bend includes usingtwo smaller pads, placing one on each side of the bend to cover more ofthe earpiece. Normally, one will want less of the ear pad for a singlepad, or the shorter of two pads where two pads are used, on the frontside of the bend. There is normally more contact area with the ear onthe backside of the bend and the pad in front of the bend is morenoticeable. If one desires to have the ear pad seen, one can lengthen itin one, or more directions so that it is more visible. The pad cansurround the end of the earpiece and/or cover the entire earpiece if onedesires.

E. Instructions for Using the Improved Eyeglasses and/or Using Pads toPrepare the Improved Eyeglasses

Since eyeglasses are mostly worn by people who are not eyeprofessionals, the invention also comprises: improved methods forpreparing and/or using eyeglasses with the contact surfaces specifiedherein, especially methods which include instructions associated withthe pads that detail proper procedures for preparing and/or using theeyeglasses. Since the preferred pads used to keep the eyeglasses inpositions have to be properly oriented such instructions are necessary,at least initially. Also, instructions for changing pads on a regularbasis are needed since soiled pads can cause irritation. Also, it isbeneficial to provide instructions which detail the benefits provided bythe improved eyeglasses when used properly are helpful to encourage thecontinued usage of the improved eyeglasses.

Thus, the invention comprises methods of doing business in which theimproved eyeglasses possessing skin contact surfaces that provideaeration and/or resistance to slippage, materials for creating theimproved eyeglasses possessing skin contact surfaces that provideaeration and/or resistance to slippage, or kits for creating sucheyeglasses, are sold in association with instructions that help ensureproper usage and/or the appreciation of the benefits provided by suchimproved eyewear. It is especially desirable to provide a kit in whichmaterials for creating and/or applying pads to eyeglasses contain, orare in association with, such instructions for use. For example, it isdesirable to sell double-sided tape with instructions to use it with theappropriate pile fabric, which can optionally be part of the kit, toform pads when commercial pads are unavailable.

“Instructions”, including “instructions for use”, can be written, oral,visual, etc. The main criteria are that they be effective to communicatethe proper methods of use and/or the benefits that can be obtained. “Inassociation with” can include putting the instructions on theeyeglasses, on the eyeglasses case, or in advertising of any type thatindicates that the instructions relate to the improved eyeglasses.

The use of trademarks, trade dress, etc. with the improved eyeglasses,pads, etc. is desirable to provide a degree of assurance that theimproved eyeglasses are ones that will function properly.

In preferred methods of doing business the eyeglasses are sold andfitted by eye care professionals such as optometrists to avoid havingthe eyeglasses fit changed by the later addition of pads to theearpieces and nosepieces. This is especially desirable when the pads arethicker since the distance from the nosepiece to the earpiece where itcontacts the back of the ear will need to accommodate the pads'thickness. Preferably, the instructions discussed hereinbefore areprovided by an eye care professional, since this could allow theprofessional to provide a proper fit, while ensuring that the userappreciates the benefits and importance of proper use of eyeglasses,etc. In other methods of doing business, the eyeglass frames are eitherdesigned with the preferred surfaces or designed for use with pads tofacilitate their use.

In yet other preferred methods of doing business, the eyeglasses and/orthe pads to create the eyeglasses are sold with claims for improvingand/or maintaining skin condition, preferably with the approval of theUnited States Food and Drug Administration and/or other official and/orindependent organizations that test and/or approve such products.

The drawings illustrate some specific embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a typical pair of eyeglasses with glass frame 21, earpieces23, nosepieces 2 and 3, and ear pads 29 and 30.

FIG. 2 is a blown up view of nosepiece 2 of FIG. 1. The pad 25 isattached to the nosepiece surface 24 by, e.g., an attachment means 26such as an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer 26 is typically a contactadhesive layer as discussed hereinbefore and preferably there is a waterand/or oil barrier between the skin and the adhesive.

FIG. 3 is a blown up view of nosepiece 3 of FIG. 1 showing a two partattachment means. The pad 25 is attached to the nosepiece 24 by the twopart attachment means comprising cooperating layers 27 and 28. The twoparts of the attachment means 27 and 28 can be, e.g., the two layers ofa magnetic coupling means, the hook and loop layers of Velcro, etc., asdiscussed hereinbefore.

If the surface of the nosepieces 24 have solid ratchet-tooth-likeconfigurations, the pads 25 and their attachment means 26, or 27 and 28,can be eliminated.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the eyeglasses of FIG. 1 showing the frame 21,the left nosepiece 3, and the left earpiece 23. Ear pads 29 and 30 areattached to earpiece 23 on both sides of the bend in the earpiece. Theear pads can be two separate ear pads as shown in this view, or can bejoined at one or more points into one ear pad 29. The V shaped notchbetween pads 29 and 30 at the curve of the earpiece 23 is formed by theedges of pads 29 and 30. If there is only a single pad 29, the parts ofthe pad on each side of the curve can be joined by a strip along thebottom of the earpiece 23. When there is only one pad, the pad is cutpart way on both sides of the pad before attachment to allow the edgesto separate on the outer part of the curve of the earpiece 23 to formthe notch. Such cuts and the resulting notches provide for the fittingof a normally non-elastic planar pad to the bend in the earpiece 23 whenthe single pad 29 is bent around the earpiece 23. The cuts can be in anyshape that allows for placement on the earpiece 23 with the pads inproximity to the earpiece surface.

The pad(s) 29/30 can extend further than shown in FIG. 4 in eitherdirection and even surround the end of the earpiece.

A single pad 29 can also be fitted to the curve of the earpiece 23 byusing an elastic pad structure instead of the cuts to allow for the padto stretch on the outside of the curve. In that case, the V shaped notchwill not be present.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the adhesive side of a single ear pad 29 withcuts 32 which go in part way on both sides (illustrated) to provide thenotches in the pad when it is mounted on the earpiece 23. When there aretwo pads 29 and 30 the cuts 32 will continue through the pad to divide asingle pad 29 into two pads 29 and 30.

The two edges formed by the cuts 32 form the V shaped notch in FIG. 4for a single pad 29. If there are two pads 29 and 30, the two sides ofthe V shaped notch are formed by the proximal edges of pads 29 and 30when the pads are touching.

The line marked for the centerline 33 is placed on the pad(s) 29 and/or30 to assist in placing the pad(s) on the earpiece 23. The line 33 isplaced along the bottom of the eyeglass earpiece 23. When there is onlyone pad 29, the cuts 32 are placed at the bend of the earpiece 23. Whenthere are two pads 29 and 30, the shorter pad is normally placed infront of the bend and the longer pad behind the bend with the edges ofthe pads preferably touching. The pad(s) 29 and/or 30 are then foldedaround the earpiece 23 and pressed against the earpiece 23 to attach thepad(s).

The V-shaped indicia 34, or equivalent directional indicia, are presentso that the user can know which direction the ratchet-tooth-likeprotrusions slant for proper placement. This helps the user to place thepad(s) in the proper orientation on the earpiece 23 so that theratchet-tooth-like protrusions or the pile protrusions will faceforward. The centerline 33 and the V-shaped indicia 34 preferably shouldbe visible on the adhesive side before attachment to be most effective.

The edges of the pad(s) 29 and/or 30 can overlap when attached if thepads are wider than required to completely surround the earpiece 23.Additional pad width can be desirable for the portion of the pad 29 orthe pad 30 behind the ear. The additional bulk will inhibit forwardmovement.

FIG. 6 is a blown up small cross section of the skin-facing surface ofpad 25 (which would also be representative of the surface of pad 29and/or 30 having solid ratchet-tooth-like protrusions 36 (or a solidnosepiece 24 with solid ratchet-tooth-like protrusions) showing anexample of a solid ratchet-tooth-like array 36 in contact with skin 100,with the arrow indicating the forward or downward direction andtherefore the direction in which the protrusions slant.

FIG. 7 is a blown up section of the skin-facing surface of pad 25 (whichis also representative of the surface of pad 29 and/or 30) showing theplacement of the individual hydrophobic fibers 37 that form a pile incontact with the skin 100, the arrow again indicating the forward ordownward direction and the direction of slant of the pile.

FIG. 8 is a cross section of the earpiece 23 with mounted pad 29 takenalong the line 8-8 showing a pad that does not go completely around theearpiece 23. The attachment means 26 can be either a single layer likeadhesive or a multiple layer attachment means like Velcro. Theattachment means 26 can also be a relatively rigid tubing likepolyethylene tubing that is sliced along one side and fitted around theearpiece 23, the tubing acting like a clamp and the inner surface of thepad 29 being glued to the outside of the piece of sliced tubing.

FIG. 9 is a cross section of the earpiece 23 with a mounted pad 30 takenalong the line 9-9 showing a pad 30 completely surrounding the earpiece23. This type of structure is representative of a pad 30 that is mountedon an attachment means 38 which is, e.g., a piece of elastic rubbertubing, the inner layer of the pad being attached to the outer surfaceof the tubing 38 by, e.g., glue. Pad 30 is desirably elastic, so as topermit stretching of the pad to fit the outer portion of the bend in theearpiece. When a pad is completely wrapped around an earpiece 23 and/orone side overlaps the other, the earpiece 23 will also be completelysurrounded. If the pad wraps around the earpiece and overlaps, it isdesirable to have the part of the pad that is overlapped be thinner sothat that the overlap area is thinner. In the case of pile fabrics, theoverlapped portion can have a shorter pile or no pile. When the pad iswider than required to surround the earpiece, the adhesive sides of theedges can also be stuck together for improved stability and the excesstrimmed off as desired, e.g., to minimize the amount of pad that can beseen.

As discussed before, the option of using the flexible tubing to connectpile fabric in the form of pad(s) 29/30 to the earpieces can also beused, alternatively, by attaching individual fibers orratchet-tooth-like arrays rather than “fabric” to the tubing directly,either by adhesive, or by “melting” the fiber end, or tubing surface byeither solvent or heat.

The pads 25 and/or 29 and/or 30 should preferably cover most of theareas where there is contact with the skin. The pad(s) 25 can alsosurround at least partially the nosepiece structures on which they areplaced.

1. Eyeglasses having lenses, earpieces and nosepieces and at least onesurface area that is in contact with wearer's skin that is hydrophobicand provides airways for acration of the skin so as to help keep theskin dry and provides less resistance to slippage in the upwarddirection, the backward direction, or both the upward and backwarddirection with respect to the wearer's face to keep the eyeglasses inposition.
 2. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein said surface area is incontact with the nose, ears, or nose and ears, and said surface area hasairways to permit air to reach the skin and which have a hydrophobicsurface to allow moisture to move away from the skin.
 3. The eyeglassesof claim 2 wherein said surface area is in contact with the nose, ears,or nose and ears, and wherein at least one of said surfaces is aratchet-tooth-like surface that provides less resistance to slippage inthe direction of the ends of the earpieces starting from the bottom ofthe lenses as compared to the resistance to slippage in the oppositedirection to keep the eyeglasses in position.
 4. The eyeglasses of claim1 wherein at least one of said surface areas in contact with the skinprovides less resistance to slippage in the direction of the ends of theearpieces starting from the bottom of the lenses as compared to theresistance to slippage in the opposite direction to keep the eyeglassesin position.
 5. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein said surfaces areprovided by a hydrophobic pile surface where said pile surface is formedfrom the ends of; fibers; threads, or loops of fiber or threads, ormixtures of at least two of said fibers, and loops of threads, saidfibers or threads being more hydrophobic than skin.
 6. The eyeglasses ofclaim 5 wherein said pile surface is provided by pile fabric having theindividual pile ends slanted in the direction of the bottom of thelenses starting from the ends of the earpieces.
 7. The eyeglasses ofclaim 6 wherein said pile fabric is attached to said eyeglasses byadhesive means, hook and loop means, magnetic attraction means, orcombinations of these means.
 8. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein saidsurface area is solid, foam, or a pile.
 9. A pad for attachment toconventional eyeglasses to create the eyeglasses of claim
 1. 10. The padof claim 9 for attachment to either (1) a nose piece of eyeglasses or(2) an earpiece of eyeglasses, said pad comprising a hydrophobic pilefabric having the individual pile ends slanted in one direction andhaving an adhesive layer attached to the backing of said pile fabric forattaching said fabric to the eyeglasses and, optionally, a release layerover said adhesive layer.
 11. The pad of claim 10 which either; (1)bears indicia to indicate the direction of the slant of the pile ends;(2) is in a package in association with instructions to place the pad onthe eyeglasses with the individual pile ends slanted to the front of theglasses for the pads attached to the earpieces and downward for the padsattached to the nosepiece; or (3) which is characterized by both (1) and(2).
 12. The pad of claim 10 wherein said adhesive layer is provided bya two sided adhesive tape.
 13. The pad of claim 10 having indicia toindicate which direction the individual pile ends slant.
 14. The pad ofclaim 9 suitable for attachment to an earpiece comprising elastic tubingwith an outer pile surface.
 15. A kit for preparing the pad of claim 9comprising a two sided adhesive tape, a pile fabric, and instructionsfor attaching the backing of a pile fabric to one side of the adhesivetape and attaching the other side of the adhesive tape to a skin contactarea of eyeglasses.
 16. The method of preparing a pad for use to createthe said surface area of claim 1, comprising attaching backing of ahydrophobic pile fabric to one side of a two-sided adhesive tape; theother side of said two-sided adhesive tape being used to attach thecompleted pad to the skin contact surface area of the eyeglasses. 17.The method of improving the fit of eyeglasses on a wearer, improving theskin safety of said wearer, or improving both said fit and said skinsafety, comprising marketing to said wearer a pad, or a kit comprising atwo-sided adhesive tape and a hydrophobic pile fabric, which can be usedto create eyeglasses according to claim 1 in association withinstructions for creating said eyeglasses and with a claim for thebenefits of skin safety; improved fit stability; or both improved skinsafety and improved fit stability, to improve the acceptance and use ofsaid pad or said kit by the wearer.
 18. A method of improving the fit ofeyeglasses on a wearer, improving the skin safety of said wearer, orimproving both said fit and said skin safety, comprising marketing anadhesive pad characterized by having a hydrophobic pile fabric with thepile slanted in one direction for creating the eyeglasses of claim 1where said pad is marketed in association with instructions to place thepad on the eyeglasses at one or more of the skin contact surfaces withthe pile slanted in the direction of the bottom front of the eyeglasseswith respect to said wearer's face.
 19. The method of improving the fitof eyeglasses on a wearer, improving the skin safety of said wearer, orimproving both said fit and said skin safety, in which the eyeglasses ofclaim 1 are fitted on said wearer by an eye care professional.
 20. Themethod of improving the fit of eyeglasses on a wearer, improving theskin safety of said wearer, or improving both said fit and said skinsafety, by preparing eyeglasses having lenses, earpieces and nosepiecesand at least one surface area that is in contact with the wearer's skinthat is hydrophobic and provides airways for aeration of the skin so asto help keep the skin dry and provide less resistance to slippage in theupward direction, the backward direction, or both the upward andbackward directions, with respect to the wearer's face, to keep theeyeglasses in position, and marketing said eyeglasses in associationwith a claim for the benefits of: skin safety improved fit stability; orboth improved skin safety and improved fit stability, to improve theacceptance and use or said eyeglasses.
 21. Eyeglasses having lenses,earpieces and nosepieces and at least one surface area that is incontact with wearer's skin and that is fabricated from a hydrophobicmaterial and provides airways for aeration of the skin so as to helpkeep the skin dry and provides less resistance to slippage in the upwarddirection, the backward direction, or both the upward and backwarddirections with respect to the wearer's face to keep the eyeglasses inposition, wherein said surface area is on either: the earpieces, thenosepieces, or both the earpieces and nosepieces, and wherein, when thesaid surface area is only on the nosepieces, the surface area comprisesa pile fabric.
 22. The eyeglasses of claim 21 wherein said surface areais in contact with the nose, ears, or nose and ears, and said surfacearea has airways to permit air to reach the skin and which have ahydrophobic surface to allow moisture to move away from the skin. 23.The eyeglasses of claim 22 wherein said surface area is in contact withthe nose, ears, or nose and ears, and wherein at least one of saidsurfaces is a ratchet-tooth-like surface that provides less resistanceto slippage in the direction of the ends of the earpieces starting fromthe bottom of the lenses as compared to the resistance to slippage inthe opposite direction to keep the eyeglasses in position.
 24. Theeyeglasses of claim 21 wherein at least one of said surface areas incontact with the skin provides less resistance to slippage in thedirection of the ends of the earpieces starting from the bottom of thelenses as compared to the resistance to slippage in the oppositedirection to keep the eyeglasses in position.
 25. The eyeglasses ofclaim 21 wherein said surfaces are provided by a hydrophobic pilesurface where said pile surface is formed from the ends of: fibers orthreads, or loops of fibers or threads, or mixtures of at least two ofsaid fibers, threads, loops of fibers, and loops of threads, said fibersor threads being more hydrophobic than skin.
 26. The eyeglasses of claim25 wherein said pile surface is provided by pile fabric having theindividual pile ends slanted in the direction of the bottom of thelenses starting from the ends of the earpieces.
 27. The eyeglasses ofclaim 26 wherein said pile fabric is attached to said eyeglasses byadhesive means, hook and loop means, magnetic attraction means, orcombinations of these means.
 28. The eyeglasses of claim 21 wherein saidsurface area is solid, foam, or a pile.
 29. A pad for attachment toconventional eyeglasses to create the eyeglasses of claim
 21. 30. Thepad of claim 29 for attachment to either (1) a nose piece of eyeglassesor (2) an earpiece of eyeglasses, said pad comprising a hydrophobic pilefabric having the individual pile ends slanted in one direction andhaving an adhesive layer attached to the backing of said pile fabric forattaching said fabric to the eyeglasses and, optionally, a release layerover said adhesive layer.
 31. The pad of claim 30 which either: (1)bears indicia to indicate the direction of the slant of the pile ends;(2) is in a package in association with instructions to place the pad onthe eyeglasses with the individual pile ends slanted to the front of theglasses for the pads attached to the earpieces and downward for the padsattached to the nosepiece; or (3) which is characterized by both (1) and(2).
 32. The pad of claim 30 wherein said adhesive layer is provided bya two sided adhesive tape.
 33. The pad of claim 30 having indicia toindicate which direction the individual pile ends slant.
 34. The pad ofclaim 29 suitable for attachment to an earpiece comprising elastictubing with an outer pile surface.
 35. A kit for preparing the pad ofclaim 29 comprising a two sided adhesive tape, a pile fabric, andinstructions for attaching the backing of a pile fabric to one side ofthe adhesive tape and attaching the other side of the adhesive tape to askin contact area of eyeglasses.
 36. The method of preparing a pad foruse to create the said surface area of claim 21, comprising attachingbacking of a hydrophobic pile fabric to one side of a two-sided adhesivetape; the other side of said two-sided adhesive tape being used toattach the completed pad to the skin contact surface area of theeyeglasses.
 37. The method of improving the fit of eyeglasses on awearer, improving the skin safety of said wearer, or improving both saidfit and said skin safety, comprising marketing to said wearer a pad, ora kit comprising a two-sided adhesive tape and a hydrophobic pilefabric, which can be used to create eyeglasses according to claim 21 inassociation with instructions for creating said eyeglasses and with aclaim for the benefits of skin safety; improved fit stability; or bothimproved skin safety and improved fit stability, to improve theacceptance and use of said pad or said kit by the wearer.
 38. A methodof improving the fit of eyeglasses on a wearer, improving the skinsafety of said wearer, or improving both said fit and said skin safety,comprising marketing an adhesive pad characterized by having ahydrophobic pile fabric with the pile slanted in one direction forcreating the eyeglasses of claim 21 where said pad is marketed inassociation with instructions to place the pad on the eyeglasses at oneor more of the skin contact surfaces with the pile slanted in thedirection of the bottom front of the eyeglasses with respect to saidwearer's face.
 39. The method of improving the fit of eyeglasses on awearer, improving the skin safety of said wearer, or improving both saidfit and said skin safety, in which the eyeglasses of claim 21 are fittedon said wearer by an eye care professional.
 40. The method of improvingthe fit of eyeglasses on a wearer, improving the skin safety of saidwearer, or improving both said fit and said skin safety, by preparingeyeglasses having lenses, earpieces and nosepieces and at least onesurface area that is in contact with the wearer's skin that ishydrophobic and provides airways for aeration of the skin so as to helpkeep the skin dry and provide less resistance to slippage in the upwarddirection, the backward direction, or both the upward and backwarddirections, with respect to the wearer's face, to keep the eyeglasses inposition, and marketing said eyeglasses in association with a claim forthe benefits of: skin safety; improved fit stability; or both improvedskin safety and improved fit stability, to improve the acceptance anduse of said eyeglasses.